Going beyond ‘politics matters’ in international development

On Wednesday 6 July (12.30pm, Brindabella Theatre, Crawford Building ANU), Samuel Hickey, the Research Director of the Effective States and Inclusive Development (ESID) Research Centre and a Professor of Politics and Development at the University of Manchester, will present the findings of a five year research project on politics and development in Asia and Africa. Register here

Professor Hickey is an Africanist whose 2016 publications include coverage of Uganda and Ghana.

From Nathan Steggel, Director, Windscape Institute

Windlab Limited is a Canberra headquartered company with strong links to both the ANU and Africa. Windlab was established from CSIRO wind prospecting technology in 2003 and since that time has identified and progressed wind energy projects from concept to construction ready across Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and United States. We established our South African business in 2007 and two projects are now up and running in South Africa. The 94MW West Coast One wind farm http://www.windlab.com/projects/westcoastone and the 134MW Amakhala Emoyeni wind farm http://www.windlab.com/projects/amakhala. West Coast One started commercial operations in June 2015 and Amakhala is under construction and nearly operational.

More recently Windab opened a small office in Dar-es Salaam and started development of projects across East
Africa. In addition to using our technology and expertise to identify exceptional wind energy sites, Windlab pride ourselves on our community engagement principles – the key principles are an open and transparent engagement process and outcomes that are fair and equitable for the local communities.

We’re currently waiting on the outcome of the expedited round of REIPPP 4.5 in South Africa http://www.ipprenewables.co.za/ – this is the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme. West Coast and Amakhala were successful in Round II of this program.

The ACT renewable auction process is similar to the process run in South Africa and requires that local economic commitments are made to research, education, export orientated and local initiatives in Canberra. Windlab was successful in round 1 of the ACT Wind Auction with Coonooer Bridge Wind Farm http://coonooerbridgewindfarm.com.au/ and Ararat Wind Farm and is undertaking the long-term asset management of both projects from its Canberra office on Marcus Clarke Street. One of the local commitments included developing and presenting a Masters level unit in Wind Energy for the ANU. The course runs annually over two intensive weeks with project work in between. The first week was delivered to 25 students in April 2016 and appeared to be highly successful – we gave examples of real projects throughout the course, including African project examples. Students attend the course from a broad range of science/engineering backgrounds – we are hopeful that in future years it may be possible to attract students from African countries to attend the course either in isolation or as part of a degree undertaken at ANU.

After all “Nishati safi ni muhimu kwa Africa ijayo” – Clean Energy is Africa’s Future!

Jack Caldwell’s memorial service was held on May 25th
(appropriately this was Africa Day) at University House.

In his May Upddate at http://bit.ly/VCBlog30May
the Vice-Chancellor wrote
“We also celebrated the life of Professor John Caldwell, Head of the University’s internationally-renowned Department of Demography from 1970 to 1988. Jack, as he was known to his colleagues and friends, had an incredibly close relationship with Africa and its people. His legacy will continue through the expansive network of ANU demographers spread across the African continent today.”

This elicited two comments:Comment by Robyn Lucas
12.30pm 2 Jun 2016

“As noted, Professor John Caldwell was Head of the University’s internationally-renowned Department of Demography from 1970 to 1988. Jack was also a key player in establishing the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health and was Associated Director from 1988 until his retirement from NCEPH and the ANU in 1995. During his time at NCEPH, Jack built links between NCEPH and the School of Demography and ensured that demography was a key part of the multi-disciplinary research that characterises NCEPH. The John C Caldwell Fellowship, administered by NCEPH, is awarded annually for an African researcher to spend time at ANU, developing collaborations with researchers at NCEPH and the School of Demography.”

Comment by David Lucas
10.45am 6 Jun 2016

“The second Caldwell Fellow, from Kenya, has just completed a successful visit to the ANU, but otherwise African Studies at the University need re-vitalising. The Caldwell Chair in Population, Health and Development ceased to exist in 2013. Professor Stocklmayer, distinguished for her work in science education in Africa, retired this year. Apparently because of a lack of interest by the Crawford School, ANU will no longer co-host the annual Australian Africa Conference, funded by DFAT.”